A History of Natural Disasters and How the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot Sides Responded
The shipwreck in occupied Kyrenia sent shockwaves through society, but it inevitably had political ramifications as well. Tufan Erhurman’s refusal to accept assistance from the Republic of Cyprus in search and rescue efforts sparked a range of reactions, as was to be expected. However, this is not the first time such a thing has happened.
Fires, tragedies, and natural disasters are perhaps the most telling example of how the two sides could set aside—even temporarily— their differences and extend a hand of cooperation to one another. Over time, however, they have also served as a mirror of distrust and suspicion.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
From the mid-1990s to the present, there have been several instances in which the Republic of Cyprus offered to assist the Turkish Cypriot side, or vice versa. However, accepting such assistance is not always a given. In several instances, humanitarian needs have clashed not only with the Cyprus problem but also with other issues related to the recognition of the pseudo-state and other sovereignty-related matters.
1995: The MOE in Its Infancy
One of the largest wildfires in history occurred in the Pentadaktylos mountain range, with the fire front stretching from the Six Mile area west of Kyrenia to Bella Pais. The Turkish Cypriot side requested assistance from Turkey, while UNFICYP helicopters also participated in the firefighting efforts. The Republic of Cyprus, under Glafkos Clerides, offered to help. This incident was also the first to occur following the implementation of the Confidence-Building Measures, which were introduced in the early 1990s as a means of strengthening cooperation between the two communities. The pseudo-state, however, put the brakes on the effort, with many—including, later on, Mustafa Akinci—criticizing Rauf Denktash’s stance, characterizing it as taboo.
The Earthquakes in Turkey
In certain cases—primarily humanitarian issues—the willingness to cooperate was not limited solely to Greek Cypriot-Turkish Cypriot relations but also extended to Turkey. Following the earthquake in Turkey in August 1999, the Republic of Cyprus offered to send aid. In fact, two Cypriot doctors traveled under the auspices of Doctors Without Borders, while the Cypriot government, led by Glafkos Clerides, decided to provide both material and financial support.
This was followed in 2006 by support from the government of Tassos Papadopoulos for the Turkish Cypriots regarding electricity issues.
In one of the greatest tragedies in Cypriot history, in August 2005, amid talks on the Cyprus issue following the rejection of the Annan Plan, the Turkish Cypriot side, led by Mehmet Ali Talat, expressed its support for the families mourning the victims of the HELIOS plane crash. Talat personally telephoned the President of the Republic, Tassos Papadopoulos, and Dimitris Christofias, then Secretary-General of AKEL, offering a helping hand in case any assistance was needed.
It is noteworthy that in the Occupied Territories, flags were lowered to half-mast on public buildings as a sign of mourning. Mustafa Akinci, then leader of the Peace and Democracy Party, called for the cancellation of the August 15 and 16 celebrations linked to the 1974 invasion, saying with compassion that “when our neighbor is in mourning, we cannot celebrate.”
The Anastasiades–Akinci Era That Broke the “Barrier”
On June 12, 2015, a fire broke out in the enclosed town of Varosia. The current President and then-government spokesperson, Nikos Christodoulides, contacted Mustafa Akinci’s spokesperson, Baris Burtzu, offering assistance in fighting the fire. Fire trucks were on standby near the Deryneia roadblock, ready to enter the enclosed city if permitted or deemed necessary.
In 2016, during the devastating fire in Solea, Turkey offered to send firefighting aircraft to help combat the blaze. This was an unprecedented move that some interpreted as a public relations ploy, while others saw it as indicative of the positive atmosphere that prevailed at the time.
The fire raged for several days and ended tragically, as thousands of square meters were reduced to ashes and two people lost their lives in the line of duty.
Amid this crisis, an extremely unusual diplomatic channel was established. Mustafa Akıncı conveyed to President Nicos Anastasiades a proposal from Turkey to send two firefighting helicopters and one firefighting aircraft. The Republic of Cyprus announced that it was willing to accept the assistance, but on the condition that the Turkish aircraft would land at an airport under the Republic’s control and would be integrated into its operational and coordination system in cooperation with Greece and the other countries that sent aid.
Turkey, given that it does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, rejected the condition. The Turkish side leveled accusations that Nicosia was using the humanitarian crisis to impose political conditions. However, the mere willingness to cooperate was noted.
For the first time, fire trucks from the Republic entered the occupied territories
A significant step was taken four years later, in 2020. At a time when talks had stalled, cooperation between the two sides could help thaw the atmosphere in the Cyprus issue. That was when the first operational cooperation took place, during which firefighting aircraft from the Republic of Cyprus crossed into the occupied territories to help extinguish a fire in the Morphou area.
Mustafa Akinci contacted Nicos Anastasiades and requested assistance. The Republic of Cyprus responded immediately and sent a firefighting plane and a helicopter, which participated in the firefighting operation.
On June 5, 2020, another major fire broke out in the occupied town of Kythrea. Once again, the Republic of Cyprus responded by sending three firefighting planes and a helicopter.
In the post-Akinci era
The next milestone was the fire in Kantara in June 2022. Ersin Tatar had already been “elected” to lead the pseudo-state, and the atmosphere in Cyprus was very tense, with him constantly reiterating his intransigent positions on a two-state solution. The Turkish Cypriot side, however, found itself in need and requested assistance from the Republic of Cyprus.
The Turkish Cypriot side was facing a severe shortage of aerial firefighting resources, so the Republic of Cyprus sent three firefighting aircraft to extinguish the fire. The cooperation took place under the auspices of the United Nations.
It was one of the instances in which practical necessity led to cooperation.
In 2023, the Republic of Cyprus offered to help address the aftermath of the earthquakes in Turkey. However, Ankara rejected the offer. On March 6 of that same year, a fire broke out in an industrial area in occupied Nicosia. Newly elected President Christodoulides contacted Ersin Tatar, offering assistance with firefighting efforts, which ultimately proved unnecessary in this instance.
In 2025, the Republic of Cyprus found itself in a state of emergency as it struggled to contain the largest fire in the mountainous region of Limassol and the most dramatic in the island’s modern history. The Turkish Cypriot side offered assistance but was told that there was no need for additional forces.
At that time, the main problem, as the President’s Office stated, was not a lack of ground forces but the need for additional aerial resources.
To what extent does the Cyprus issue affect humanitarian efforts?
A review of the facts shows that crisis management in Cyprus and the extent to which the two communities will cooperate with one another have been influenced over time—to a greater or lesser extent—by the situation and climate surrounding the Cyprus issue.
During periods when talks were going well or when there were serious prospects for progress, depending on the context, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots demonstrated their mutual support in practice.
The unease and/or fear regarding the political implications that such cooperation might have within each community—due to serious political obstacles such as the legal status of the pseudo-state, or Turkey’s stance toward the Republic of Cyprus, which contravenes international law, which has resulted, in some cases, with each side ultimately looking out for its own interests, since one side or the other would not accept assistance from the other.
Even a statement, a statement, or an action by one side toward the other during times of tragedy or hardship automatically takes on political significance and is subject to interpretation and analysis due to the turbulent situationthat prevails, while it is placed within a specific context depending on how favorable or unfavorable the climate is regarding the national issue.
